Gary Burrill and Lisa Roberts Welcome News of a By-election in Halifax Needham

July 30, 2016

“We are looking forward to continuing the NDP legacy in Halifax Needham, and running a strong campaign with our candidate Lisa Roberts,” said Burrill.

Roberts, a community organizer and most recently, Executive Director of Veith House, was nominated as the electoral district’s provincial candidate on July 18. A former journalist, she has a Masters in Development Economics from Dalhousie University.

“I am thrilled to be representing the NDP in Halifax Needham, and look forward to an exciting campaign,” said Roberts. “The NDP has deep roots in our community, which is where I’m raising my kids and working to make a difference. I would be proud to represent Halifax Needham.”

Roberts helped to grow the North End Community Circle (NECC), a project that connects hundreds of residents and dozens of non-profits, and establish the NECC community garden adjacent to Fort Needham Park. She is also a co-founder of Future Roots, a social enterprise that recruits, trains and supervises North End youth who work for their older neighbours and North End businesses.

This spring, the NDP criticized the McNeil Liberal government for withdrawing from the Bloomfield affordable housing project at a time when there are 1,500 people on housing waiting lists in the HRM.

In June, the public learned of cuts to Northwood and other long-term care facilities. $3.1 million dollars was removed from long-term care funding in this spring’s provincial budget.

“North End Halifax can’t handle any more betrayals from Stephen McNeil and the Liberals,” says Burrill. “In this by-election, voters in North End Halifax will have a chance to pass judgment on the Liberal record and embrace a positive, progressive agenda from the NDP.”